Proverbs 13:3, "The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin" James 3:2-10 NASB
"For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.... Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way."
Matthew 12:36, " But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."
The following thoughts must primarily be credited to Dr. Phil Brown.
They are not my original thoughts. :-)
They are not my original thoughts. :-)
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Communication is essential in our relationships with other people. Without communication - there is no relationship. Knowing how to talk doesn't necessarily mean that we know how to communicate biblically. We have been "taught" how to communicate by our parents, family, and peers. We do not have in mind a biblical pattern to follow in our communication.
The content of Biblical communication must include two elements: TRUTH & THANKSGIVING.
- Do you "spin-doctor" your words to place yourself in the most favorable light?
- Is the slant that we are giving completely honest?
- Public speech is one kind - no matter where you are or who you are with.
- If someone were to be around you for a week, would he describe your conversation as full of thanksgiving?
The tone of Biblical communication must include four qualities: gracious, appropriate, truthful/thankful, and edifying.
- Americans are so stuck on kindness that they can't tell the truth!!!
- To tell the truth in love is to consider the impact of our words upon others, and then present the truth in a way that will be most beneficial to the one hearing it.
- This means that we don't fudge the truth to make someone feel better - but we carefully consider how to "package" and "present" the truth.
* Do my meal-time conversations serve to edify those who hear me?
* Do my conversations pass the following test?
- gracious? - appropriate? - truthful/thankful? - edifying?
Just because a piece of information is the "truth" - we often feel the need to share it with other people. If it doesn't pass the "test" - the information should not be shared. Would you discuss this - if the person was sitting right here with you? If a person you are talking to isn't part of the problem or solution to a situation - it doesn't need to be discussed with them. You may intentionally or unintentionally strongly influence the hearers' opinion of people based on this "new knowledge."
So that is how we guard OUR speech.What should we do if someone starts telling us information we do not want/need to hear??
This is the hardest thing for me to swallow. In fact - I rarely have seen or heard it practiced. The appropriate response would be to ask, "Am I part of the problem or solution?" Then, inform them that you would rather not hear this story/information. I, personally, think that most people would feel offended by this action. They would judge you as being "high and mighty" or "super-spiritual." Regardless of people's reactions - it is what we all need to learn to practice in our every day lives. It is the best way to keep our minds positive and pure in the way we think toward other people.
Best of luck ... to zip the lip!!!
The content of Biblical communication must include two elements: TRUTH & THANKSGIVING.
- Do you "spin-doctor" your words to place yourself in the most favorable light?
- Is the slant that we are giving completely honest?
- Public speech is one kind - no matter where you are or who you are with.
- If someone were to be around you for a week, would he describe your conversation as full of thanksgiving?
The tone of Biblical communication must include four qualities: gracious, appropriate, truthful/thankful, and edifying.
- Americans are so stuck on kindness that they can't tell the truth!!!
- To tell the truth in love is to consider the impact of our words upon others, and then present the truth in a way that will be most beneficial to the one hearing it.
- This means that we don't fudge the truth to make someone feel better - but we carefully consider how to "package" and "present" the truth.
* Do my meal-time conversations serve to edify those who hear me?
* Do my conversations pass the following test?
- gracious? - appropriate? - truthful/thankful? - edifying?
Just because a piece of information is the "truth" - we often feel the need to share it with other people. If it doesn't pass the "test" - the information should not be shared. Would you discuss this - if the person was sitting right here with you? If a person you are talking to isn't part of the problem or solution to a situation - it doesn't need to be discussed with them. You may intentionally or unintentionally strongly influence the hearers' opinion of people based on this "new knowledge."
So that is how we guard OUR speech.What should we do if someone starts telling us information we do not want/need to hear??
This is the hardest thing for me to swallow. In fact - I rarely have seen or heard it practiced. The appropriate response would be to ask, "Am I part of the problem or solution?" Then, inform them that you would rather not hear this story/information. I, personally, think that most people would feel offended by this action. They would judge you as being "high and mighty" or "super-spiritual." Regardless of people's reactions - it is what we all need to learn to practice in our every day lives. It is the best way to keep our minds positive and pure in the way we think toward other people.
Best of luck ... to zip the lip!!!
